Alice Lloyd College

Alice Lloyd College offers a Bachelor of Arts in Sports and Fitness Management that provides students with interdisciplinary study in both Physical Education and Business. Because many positions related to sports and fitness programs require some teaching, students are provided leadership skills as part of the curriculum as well. Graduates of the program gain an understanding of the importance of recreation and physical activity in the health of a community. Students must earn a “C” or better in each course in the major and their overall GPA must be 2.0 or higher.

Students must complete 54 hours in general education requirements as well as 51 hours in sports and fitness programs management requirements. Students must take collateral courses in health along with electives to round out the 128-credit hour requirement to complete the program.

Graduates of the program have found positions in the following areas:

  • Camps
  • Church Programs
  • Community Centers
  • Community Recreation Planning and Administration
  • Corporate Fitness Programs
  • Parks and Recreation Departments
  • Resorts
  • Theme Parks
  • Tourist Attractions
  • Youth Service Organizations

In addition to courses offered as part of the program, students can gain additional leadership skills through the many student organizations available at the college. Students may participate in the Alice Lloyd College Intramural Sports Program. This program offers various sports such as basketball, flag football, volleyball and more. At the end of each season, tournaments are held to name a champion. This allows students to gain experience in the athletic industry and gain an understanding of the leadership skills necessary to manage activities in a variety of settings. There is also an Environmental and Outdoors Club that fosters an awareness of the environment both on and off campus. Students may engage in plantings, recycling efforts, clean-ups or restoring the banks of Caney Creek.

Related Resources:
50 Most Affordable Selective Colleges for Sports Management
20 Great Small Colleges for a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management

About Alice Lloyd College

Alice Spencer Geddes Lloyd began her career as a journalist, eventually becoming the publisher and editor of the Cambridge Press, the first publication with an all-female staff. In 1916, invited by a local resident, Ms. Lloyd arrived in Pippa Passes to teach Appalachian children. There, she discovered students that were among the brightest in the country. She established a mandatory work program to ensure that students would not be turned away because they could not afford tuition. Teachers agreed to work on a volunteer basis and, with the support of her friends in the East, Ms. Lloyd built her new school.

Initially, classes were held at the Ivis Community Center where she offered health services, education and improvements to agriculture in the area. In 1917, Ms. Lloyd moved to Caney Creek when a local resident, Abisha Johnson, offered land for the school. The school grew with the motto “The Leaders are Here.” June Buchanan joined the school in 1920, remaining there until her death at 100. The two women chartered the Caney Junior College in 1923.

The school became a four-year institution in 1982 and continues to provide students higher education with little or no personal cost. After becoming a four-year school, the name was changed in honor of its founder. Many graduates return to the area as teachers, doctors, attorneys and other leaders of the community.

The college has been named by US News & World Report as the top college for students graduating with the least amount of debt and by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 100 financially fit colleges in the country.

Alice Lloyd College Accreditation Details

Alice Lloyd College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Accreditation indicates that the college provides students with an education that prepares them for careers in the industry they have chosen. Parents, students and employers are assured that graduates of Alice Lloyd College have been provided an education that meets or exceeds criteria set forth by the accrediting agency. In addition, the school strives to improve any areas that the association identifies as needing improvement during regular evaluations. Programs throughout the school may also be accredited by industry-specific agencies or organizations.

Alice Lloyd College Application Requirements

Alice Lloyd College is highly competitive, with only around nine percent of students who apply admitted. It is recommended that any student who wishes to attend begin the process as early as possible. Students who have earned no college credits after graduation must complete the online application and provide official high school transcripts along with official ACT or SAT scores. All applicants must submit to an admissions interview.

Students who have earned college credit after high school graduation may be admitted as transfer students. They must complete an online application and submit official high school transcripts as well as ACT or SAT scores. Transfer students must also submit to a admissions interview.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Full-time tuition at Alice Lloyd College is $11,460 per year. However, for students in 108 counties surrounding the school, there is no out-of-pocket tuition cost if they meet certain criteria. The Appalachian Leaders Scholarship is awarded to students based on financial need and many students are able to attend the college at no cost.

Work-study programs have been an important part of Alice Lloyd College since the school was founded. Today, the program not only provides students with an opportunity to pay for college, it provides them with an understanding of responsible leadership, self-discipline and self-reliance. The work-study program is so ingrained in the Alice Lloyd philosophy, students must work in order to satisfy graduation requirements. Students must work a minimum of ten hours per week and 160 hours per semester at an on- or off-campus job.

Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as part of the application process and must renew the FAFSA each year to confirm their financial need.